Freeze Ray
by L.MacQ
Summary: Second Part of Laundry Day. Toad and Penny think over their actions as thing move forward, or rather, backward with The Brotherhood's plans.


Toad popped the collar on his trench coat as he stepped out of his apartment. His dark eyes flickered around the hall for any signs and found none.

It was empty except for the lone plastic pistol sitting a few feet from the stair way. Cocking his head curiously, he picked it up, recognizing it as the one that had been on Penny's hip the previous night. He rolled it in his green palm a moment, before sliding it into the inside pocket of the black jacket.

_-/Some Time Later/-_

Penny looked up from her magazine(she couldn't afford cable) when she heard rustling outside her apartment door. Eying it nervously, she grabbed the wooden baseball bat she kept next to her futon and went over to it. She held the handle for a second, listening at the sound of shuffling and quiet cursing.

Whipping the door open, she raised the bat threateningly. His grip slackened however when she noticed Toad crouching low on the ground trying to shove something under her door.

"What the hell are you doing!" Penny snapped, "It's one in the morning!"

"Oy!" He jumped up rather fast, glaring at her, "I was jus' bein' nice."

The man shoved the water pistol in to her chest roughly, storming off as she beamed. "Hey, I was looking for that."

"Yer welcome!"

"Hey!" She jogged down the stairs, following his with a grace she usually lacked, "wait up!"

"W'ot? You got yer bloody toy back now leave me alone!" He grunted when her hand landed on his shoulder. "Piss off!"

"Come on, man, play nice." Her eyes glinted up at him as he stopped to unlock his door. "I just wanted to thank you for finding my freeze ray."

Toad shook his head, amazed at his tolerance for the woman. "Freeze ray." He repeated.

"Yes."

"Are ya retarded?"

"Nope, just imaginative."

"Same deal." The door popped open after he rammed it with his shoulder. "Go 'ome, Pen."

She shrugged, "alright. Night."

"G'night." He grit his teeth as she winked at him. Unable to help himself, his eyes followed her dark orange boy shorts up the stairs with a lewd glare. "Damn it." He murmured, undo his jacket and tossing it on the hanger. His mind went back to the night in the laundry room. How she'd pivoted her body to be close to his without actually touching him. Toad wondered who she did that for; him, or herself?

Maybe she hadn't wanted to touch him- just test him. See how far he'd go with a human, how far she'd let herself go with a mutant.

Mort wasn't sure how he felt about that. He'd been the subject of teasing ever since he could remember, but not like this. He _liked_ this. This was temporary, of course, but that left the idea in his mind open the ideas of flexibility, the lack of restraint needed when dealing with feelings. If she developed them, he could be rid of her with ease, and if he developed them, well, that was unlikely.

_-/Upstairs/-_

Penny was reloading his water pistol. Water was below her. If someone was going to try anything with her- _**bam**_! Lemon juice, right in the kisser.

_Bad ass_. She smiled, giving the trigger a test squeeze. The smile dampened however, when she realized that perhaps if she spent less money on lemon juice, she could afford cable or even a television…

It darkened further when she wondered how Toad had known it was hers in the first place. Or which apartment was hers. As far as she could tell, that had been his first trip up the stairs.

Humming to herself, she wondered just how old he was. In the bright lights of the hall way, it was obvious he was older, maybe in his late twenties, early thirties.

At twenty two, she wondered if age was a problem for him, if it was holding him back. Or may that guy he was living with was just his boyfriend and he was gay and she should learn to mind her own damn business. Or at the very least some boundaries.

But where was the fun in that?

_-/The Next Night/-_

Penny sat on her fire escape, a cigarette poised between her lips as she pulled her short hair out of its tiny bun. Her ass was sore from being swatted all night, the patrons of the strip club she waitressed at having a habit of being too grabby(even for her tastes), and the stench of body glitter and booze clung to her skin. Leaning back against the concrete building she sighed, blowing a puff of smoke out of the corner of her mouth. The air was slightly chill, even in June, for her tastes, but after being in such a cramped space for so long, it was nice. Closing her eyes, she raised two fingers to her lips to flick her cigarette. The ash floated downward, twisting in the wind before disappearing from sight.

Just as another came into view. Penny's eyes snapped open when something crashed down on the metal grate in front of her. They lost their fear quickly at the sight of him, even if he did come across as rather imposing, leering down at her in the dark.

"Hey."

Toad stared down at her, both with disgust and appreciation. "W'ot are ya wearin'?"

Her shirt was low cut and small, as were her shorts. If you could even call them that.

She shrugged, going back to her cigarette, "my uniform."

"Where'd ya work? Skives and bints?"

"Yeah, I have no idea what you just said there, doll." She crossed her legs, making room for him. "Wanna sit down?"

"Nah."

"Why not?"

"'Cause then you'd think I was stayin'."

"Seems rather presumptuous." Penny said, smirking at him as she put her cigarette out on the wall behind her. "How'd you get up here?"

"Jumped."

"Hm."

Toad's eyes went back to her bare legs as she crossed them. "Ya shouldn't be out 'ere."

"Why not?"

"Could get sick."

She nodded, "valid reason." Standing with ease, she wiped any dirt she had on her legs off. Then went in the apartment, making sure to leave the window open for the strange man still perching outside.

An invitation.

He eyed her watching as she moved about her apartment as though she didn't know he was there for about a minute. When she disappeared from sight, he ducted inside.

The apartment wasn't very big, only one large room and a bathroom. She was in the corner, standing next to a dresser. Her skimpy shirt tossed shamelessly at her feet, Toad's eyes widened at the sight of her bare back.

Her skin was slightly paler then the rest of her, but flawless none the less and he found himself approaching her before he could stop himself. His rough hands grabbed her hips and pulled them to his pelvis. They smacked together painfully, but neither winced. Penny eyed him in the mirror, watching as one of his hands left her hips and travelled to her stomach. He smirked back at her, eying her naked breasts appreciatively as his hand dipped into the front of her shorts.

"I could snap ya little neck, ya know…you'd be dead b'fore anyone'd hear it." It was almost a coo, low and seductive in her ear as his thumb brushed over the button, popping it off. "Then what'd ya do, huh, darlin'?"

The zipper went down easily, but she still didn't move, didn't jerk from his hold.

"I guess I be dead." Penny smirked, putting her hands behind her and tugging leisurely at his coat. Her shorts were down with a quick, rough tug, as were her underwear.

"Damn r'oght." Toad stared at her in the mirror, letting his fingers trail up to her throat. "Look't us." His green skin was shocking against her own 'normal' tone, and his hands were rough. "This is w'ot ya wanted, ain't it? Be fucked like some little tart by'a mutie?"

"If you don't _want_ it, stop _touching_ it." She offered, rocking her bare hips away from his other hand. "No one's making you do this, Toad."

Her boldness surprised him more then it should have, really. Especially when one took in the fact that she was standing, nude, letting a stranger, a strange mutant no less, grope her with little care for or about etiquette. The Brit's hands wrapped tightly around her hips and he bent her over the dresser with a quick jerk of his wrists.

Penny winced this time, and for a fleeting second he felt regret. It went away just as quickly as her lust filled gaze locked with his in the glimmering mirror. Swallowing any doubts he had about this, his pants dropped to the floor.

_-/Sometime Later/-_

The woman lay poured on top of the wooden dresser, panting heavily as the man pulled out of her. Just the same his head landed on the back of her shoulder, resting there as he fought to catch his breathe. A moment of serene calmness settled over the two.

Toad sighed, nuzzling his face in the shallow valley between her shoulder blades. It was oddly comfortable here. In her apartment. But that could've just been an after effect of the orgasm, hard to tell. And frankly, he didn't want to. He didn't want ruin it. Her body was damp, a sheen of sweat shining in the bright light, and she was starting to stand up.

The man bent her back over.

"Toad?"

"Yea'?"

"Is that your real name?" Penny asked, not trying to get up again, but rather trying to find a more suitable position to be in.

He eyes the dark purple bruise on her pale hip, and brushed a webbed finger over it. "Nah."

"Oh."

"It's Mort."

"Oh." She smiled moving her arm under her chin. "Cool."

"Hm."

A knock on the door roused them from their quiet content. Toad was up quickly, pulling her in the corner. "Stay 'ere."

"What? This is my apartment!" Penny snapped, grabbing a shirt out of the dresser. "You stay here!"

She pulled it over her head, and darted into the kitchen area, plucking the freeze ray up; she held it at her side as she opened the door.

"Hello, my dear."

Penny rose a brow, "Uh- hi."

"I believe you are acquainted with a friend of mine," the elderly man's hand went to go inside his cape, and the pistol was out in a heart beat. Pulling the trigger quickly, Penny let out a yelp as she darted back in to the apartment.

"That was uncalled for, miss."

The door was thrown off its hinges as the man entered. Toad's face lit up, glad he'd pulled his pants up in the mean time. "Mags?"

"Toad."

"Oh. Damn it," The woman flushed, running into the kitchen and turning on the tap, "I'm sorry I thought you meant-"

"It's quite alright," He took a seat on one of the metal fold chairs. He took the wet cloth that was offered sheepishly to him. "Thank you."

She blushed pink, "Sorry. I suck, I know, I'm working on it, I promise."

Toad grinned at her, then realized just who was standing in the room. His face turned a sickly hue of green. "Is everything alright?"

"The mission has been pushed backward, we must leave immediately, Toad. But first," His cool blue eyes slipped to the woman's cautious brown ones, "why don't you introduce me to your friend?"

"Mags, Pen, Pen, Mags." It was quick, and Mort pushed her hand down as she went to offer it to the man. "We should go."

Magneto rose a brow, but turned his attention to Penny. "Pen, I believe he called you?"

"Yeah, Penny, it's short for Joplin, which is my last name, but everyone started calling me that because Jane was too damn boring, and I am so I squirted you, sir."

Toad tilted his head down at her, "I di'n't know yer name was Jane."

"You never asked."

"Well, Miss Joplin, what can you do?"

"Pardon?"

"Your abilities," Magneto pressed lightly, a friendly smile stretching over his weathered features, "come now, don't be shy."

She shrugged, "I'm pretty good at pissing people off but I would hardly call that an ability. More of a gift, really."

The cool gaze slid from her almost innocent face to Toad's guilty one. "I see."

"Mags, it's not-"

"Yes it is." He said calmly, "I think we should go now, before I do something irrational. Or make _you_."

Toad knew the threat wasn't directed at him, and he followed the man dutifully out the wrecked door, only casting Penny –_Jane_- one sad glance as she raised her hand in a weak goodbye.

Sighing, she ran her hands through her pink hair. Pursing her lips, she stared at her now destroyed door. Well, she supposed, Mort certainly knows how to make an exit.

Penny shook the dread out of her heart as she went to pick the pieces.

**A/N**: I was thinking about making a series about this couple…they've kind of plagued my mind…I hope it went okay, and that you enjoyed it. The fic would be weird and short, and I'd like to hear if y'all want one.


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